There are truths

we suspect but pray are not true,

and there are truths

that arrive without knocking,

leaving us with nothing

but the responsibility of believing our eyes.

I was in love once,

or at least I believed

that what we shared

was built on the same honesty

that lived inside my heart.

I was committed.

I gave the relationship my attention,

my time,

and the sincerity

I thought love deserved.

Then one day,

he told me a story about a friend.

A man, he said,

had made a mistake with his former girlfriend.

A child had come from it,

though he claimed to love someone else.

He asked what I thought the man should do.

I answered without hesitation:

Take responsibility.

Marry the woman.

He smiled.

Then he asked,

“What if I were the man?”

I laughed,

thinking it was one of those jokes

people make when they want to test a reaction.

I had no idea

that the truth was sitting between us,

listening to every word.

Months later,

a photograph appeared on Facebook.

A baby.

A little face with familiar features,

a face that seemed to carry

an answer I had never asked to receive.

I looked again.

And again.

Then I confronted him.

He admitted it.

The child was his.

In that moment,

everything I thought I understood

about our relationship

began to fall apart.

It was not simply the existence of a child

that broke my heart.

It was the dishonesty.

The months of silence.

The way the truth had been hidden

while I continued loving someone

without knowing the whole story.

I ended the relationship.

And though leaving was painful,

staying would have required me

to make peace with a lie

I could no longer pretend not to see.

And sometimes,

the greatest act of love

is the decision

to stop abandoning yourself

for someone you do not wish to lose.

Poet’s bio

Tomileye E. Abolaji is a Legal Counsel, author, and performance poet who blends intellect with a passion for creative expression. With over eight years of experience in the legal profession, she has developed considerable expertise in litigation and dispute resolution. Beyond the courtroom, she is a passionate storyteller who uses poetry to articulate universal emotions, reflections, and truths. As the author of The Things Life Taught My Heart, she invites readers into an evocative exploration of resilience, healing, and personal growth. Her work as a performance poet has taken her creative voice across Nigeria and the United Kingdom, connecting deeply with diverse audiences. Whether in the courtroom, on stage, or through the pages of a book, she uses the power of words to inform, inspire, and transform.